Tongue-support



(-No'ModeLy J. W. ANDERSON.

. TONGUE SUPPORT.

' Patented Sept. 19, 1882" 7. y R0, m m2 UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

JOHN W. ANDERSON, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

TONGUE-SUPPORT.

a SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 264,429, datedSeptember 19, 1882.

Application filed July 1, 1882. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, JOHN W. ANDERSON, acitizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, St. Joseph county,Indiana,have invented new and useful Improvements in Tongue- Supportsfor \Nagons, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in means forsupporting the to tongues of wagons. 7

It has for its object economy and simplicity of construction and givingto the tongue an easy and elastic movement to avoid the vertical jerkingof the tongue upon the collars of the draft-animals; and with these endsin view my invention consists of a spring bar or rod of peculiarconstruction applied to the sandboard of the wagon, a vertical notchedor hook post on the rear end of the tongue, forward of its pivotalconnection with the hounds, and an intermediate connecting rod or link,as will be hereinafter explained.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertainsmay know how to make and use the improved device, I will proceed todescribe its construction and operation, referring by letters to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view of so much of a0 wagon as is necessary to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same; Fig. 3, a detail view of one form of spring-bar,and Fig. 4 a modification of the bar shown at Fig. 3.

3 5 Similar letters indicate like parts in the several figures.

A represents a horizontal bar, made preferably of steel, secured to thesand-board, near the center by. staples or eyes a, so that it is 40capable of slight rotary movement therein.

The bar A is extended upward at its center,

as shown at Fig. 3, and the ends are bent at right angles to each other,so that one shall bear against the front of the axle and the other 5against the top of one of the hounds to produce a torsional spring ofthe bar A. The outer ends of the bar A may both be bent downward to restagainst the front of the axle, if desired; or they may be flattened andsecured in place by bolts, or square or rounded and passed throughstuds. I do not wish to confine myself in this particular so long as theends are properly secured.

The tongue B is pivoted in the usual manner between the front ends ofthe hounds O, and is provided at a point forward of such pivotedconnection with a short post or vertical arm, D, having a notch orrecess, 1), in its upper end adapted to receive an eye at the forwardend ot'a connecting rod or link, E, the opposite end of which isconnected to the upwardly-projecting 0r U-shaped portion of the bar A.The length of the rod or link E should be such that the tongue will beheld in about ahorizontalposition,asshown,thoughofcourse it may, ifdesired, permit the tongue to occupy a position above or below thatline.

From this construction it will be seen that while the tongue isheldnormally in the position to which it may be adjusted by the length 7c ofthe link or bar E, still it is capable of moving downward when understrain, in which event the U-shaped upward extension of the spring-bar Ais pulled forward, and when the cause for such movement is removed saidportion is forced back to its normal vertical position by the springaction of the outer ends of the bar bearing against the axle or axle andhound, as the case may be. From this construction and arrangement itwill be seen that all movements of the tongue are easy and elastie, andthe short, sharp jerking thereof is avoided.

While I have shown the bar A preferably made of a single piece extendingto opposite sides of the center and with both ends bent to form bearingsto produce the spring action, I do not wish to be confined to suchconstruction, as I may form the bar in two parts, as shown at Fig. 4; orI may employ only one-half of the form shown at said figure withoutdepart ing from the spirit of my invention.

Instead of using a connecting-rod such as shown at E, I may of courseemploy an ordinary chain, in which case the position of the tongue ismore readily adjustable.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A tongue-support composed of a horizontal In testimony whereofl havehereunto set my bar, A, having its outer end or ends secured hand in thepresence of two subscribing wit- 10 to or against the wagon in anysuitable manmesses. ner and its center or inner end bent upward 5 andheld by a staple or eye near the base, in JOHN ANDERSON combination withthe post D on the tongue \Vitnesses: and the bar or chain E,substantially as set E. 'l. MAUZY, forth. J. L. TAYLOR.

